Thelma Dumpit-Murillo

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Thelma Dumpit-Murillo is a Filipino journalist and broadcaster. She is the eldest daughter of La Union Representative Tomas M. Dumpit.^[1]

Contents 1 Education 2 Career 3 Recognition 4 References

[edit] Education

Dumpit graduated from the Maryknoll College with a Bachelor of Arts degree major in Mass Communication and holds a Masters degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines where she was a scholar and consistent Dean's Lister.She is also a Lopez Jaena fellow from the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.

[edit] Career

Dumpit has been in broadcast for more than 20 years. She started her career as editorial assistant at the government station MBS-4 (now known as NBN-4).^[2] In 1987, Dumpit moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she anchored The Philippine Reports, a weekly news show broadcast in the Midwest. She resumed her broadcasting career in Channel 4 upon returning to the Philippines in 1992.

In October 1995, Dumpit was hired by the Associated Broadcasting Company to lead its news team as anchor of Balitang Balita, an early evening newscast. After four years as its senior news anchor, Dumpit negotiated for a change in the terms and conditions of her work status and when her contract was not renewed in October of 1999, she sent a letter to Jose Javier, Vice President for News and Public Affairs of ABC, stating that she considered this a constructive dismissal of her services. On December 20, 1999 Dumpit filed a complaint against the company for illegal constructive dismissal and demanded payment for alleged damages. After the initial dismissal of the complaint by the Labor Arbiter, the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) reversed the decision and ruled in favor of reinstatement and payment of 2.6 million pesos for back wages.^[3] Following the NLRC appeal, ABC filed a petition to the Court of Appeals. The appellate court ruled on January 30, 2004 that NLRC committed a grave abuse of indiscretion and reversed the NLRC's ruling. After almost eight years, on June 8, 2007 the appellate court decision and the subsequent resolution denying the motion for reconsideration were reversed and set aside by a landmark ruling of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The Supreme Court affirmed NLRC's decision that Dumpit was a regular employee of ABC and that the company's actions constituted illegal dismissal.^[4] The decision ruled that Dumpit was to be reinstated to her position as ABC 5 news anchor without lost to seniority and to be awarded almost three million pesos to cover backwages and benefits due a regular employee and for moral damages.

Dumpit has also hosted several radio programs over DZXL, Radio Veritas and DWIZ, contributed news articles to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Star and wrote a column for the opinion page of The Manila Times. She continues to be a broadcast correspondent of radio station DWIZ.

Dumpit served as a Barangay council member from 1997 to 2004.^[5] In 2007 she ran but lost in the mayoral election for Rosario, La Union. Dumpit expressed concern over possible election fraud and consequently, filed an electoral protest. She announced on July 11, 2007 that she was looking for a handwriting expert to analyze the ballots in order to determine the true results of the elections. The protest is still pending at Branch 32 of the RTC Agoo, La Union.^[6]

[edit] Recognition

Dumpit has received a number of awards, including the 1993 Star Award for Best Female Newscaster given by the Philippine Movie Press Club and the award for being one of the Most Distinguished Sons/Daughters of the Province of La Union given by the Provincial Government of La Union.

[edit] References